Iowa State Falls to No. 15 Colorado in Big 12 Opener
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State went toe-to-toe with a national heavyweight on Thursday night and came away with everything but the result.
The Cyclones’ upset bid of No. 15 Colorado fell just short in a bruising Big 12 opener, a single first-half penalty the difference in a 1-0 loss at the end of a tense, physical contest.
Cyclones Stand Tall, But One Whistle Decides It
Colorado arrived with the league’s most dangerous attack and left with only one goal to show for it. Iowa State’s back line refused to be overrun, closing gaps, blocking shots and forcing the Buffaloes into tight angles for most of the evening.
For 40 minutes, the plan worked perfectly.
Colorado pushed early, firing three shots in the opening 10 minutes. Iowa State’s defenders met each one—two blocked, one drifting wide—as the Cyclones absorbed the initial surge and settled into the match.
At the other end, Morgan Goodman sparked ISU’s first real threat midway through the first half. She carved out a pair of chances, testing Colorado keeper Brooke Goerish with the first and sending the second off target as the Cyclones showed they were not just there to defend.
That mini-flurry from Iowa State seemed to jolt Colorado. The Buffaloes hit back with four shots in a frantic three-minute spell, only to see Eme McClenahan turn them all away. The Cyclone goalkeeper, who went the full 90, stacked up four saves in that brief window alone and finished with six on the night.
Then came the moment that split the game.
With the clock ticking past 40 minutes, the ball swung back into the Colorado attacking third. A foul by Makenna Marshall right on the edge of the box handed the Buffaloes a penalty kick. Captain Reagan Kotschau stepped up and, with McClenahan stretching full length, tucked her shot just beyond the keeper’s reach at 40:16.
One chance. One finish. And ultimately, one goal too many for Iowa State to chase down.
Iowa State Pushes Late, Colorado Holds Firm
Halftime numbers told the story of the grind. Colorado led 9-3 in shots and 1-0 in corners, but Iowa State had the more eye-catching stat: four saves in that first-half onslaught, all from McClenahan. The Cyclones trailed, but they were still very much in it.
The second half tilted a little more toward Iowa State’s ambition.
ISU generated five shots after the break and grew into the game, even as Colorado kept its edge in overall attempts, finishing with a 13-8 advantage and a 4-0 margin in corners. The Cyclones, though, refused to fade. They kept hunting for a moment to flip the script.
It nearly arrived in the 85th minute.
Cassidy Corcione, one of three Cyclones with two shots on the night, unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box that seemed destined for the top corner. Goerish somehow got a touch, tipping the ball onto the crossbar in a sprawling, game-saving intervention.
The rebound dropped to Sophie Forester in front of goal. For a split second, the match hung there. Forester’s shot, however, skewed wide, and with it went Iowa State’s best chance to level.
From there, Colorado saw out the final minutes, the narrow lead intact.
Numbers Behind the Battle
Kotschau, who converted the decisive penalty, led all players with five shots and three on target, driving Colorado’s attack. 2025 Big 12 Forward of the Year Hope Leyba added three attempts of her own, one on frame, as the Buffaloes kept Iowa State under constant watch.
For the Cyclones, Goodman, Corcione and Izzy Kapanke each registered two shots and accounted for all three of ISU’s efforts on target. Behind them, Maia Soulis and Danica Lunceford logged the full 90 minutes, anchoring a defense that made Colorado work for every look at goal.
McClenahan’s six saves outpaced Goerish’s three, and Iowa State finished with more stops overall, 6-3. The physical edge belonged to the Cyclones as well, at least on the stat sheet, whistled for 14 fouls to Colorado’s 11.
The difference, though, was a single whistle on the edge of the box and a captain who did not miss.
Iowa State walks away 4-3-2 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play, still searching for its first win over a ranked opponent this season. Colorado leaves Ames at 7-1-1 and 1-0 in the league, its top-15 billing intact.
If this is the standard of Iowa State’s defending against the conference’s most prolific attack, what happens when the next contender comes to town?
